Toast And Butter Your Buns For A Next-Level Fish Sandwich

"Arrhh! Butter me buns and call me a fish sandwich!" sounds like something Patchy the Pirate might say, although the fish sandwich, in his case, would probably be a Krabby Patty. The blackened fish sandwich in developer Keith Kamikawa's recipe, however, is made not from crab (or krab) but from cod, which Kamikawa calls "a nice, friendly fish." But the recipe would also work swimmingly with catfish, which he terms "traditional," or swordfish, something he feels is "a fantastic option ... due to its steak-like texture." He admits that pretty much any firm-fleshed fish will work for this sandwich, although these three are his favorites.

One thing that makes this fried fish sandwich taste like something you might order in a restaurant is a buttered bun that has us channeling our Inner Patchy. Kamikawa spreads each bun thickly with butter, then cooks it in a frying pan for 30 seconds. Not only do toasted, buttered buns taste a lot better than the plain kind, but their slightly crunchy exterior is also better equipped to stand up to juicy, messy sandwich toppings without becoming soggy. As the fried fish will not only be leaking a bit of oil in its own right but will also be topped with a creamy spread and a pile of drippy coleslaw, a sturdy bun is just what the sandwich artist ordered.

Don't you love a bargain? A BOGO is always great, but what about three for the price of one? And what if the price of that one is none? What we are trying to get at here is that this recipe (which, like all of our offerings, is 100% free) is actually three recipes in one. Not only do you get a fish sandwich in a buttered bun, but you'll also receive — at no added charge — two bonus recipes! The first of these is for a citrusy aioli that's essentially a type of "dirty mayo" flavored with garlic, lemon juice, and mustard. It takes just moments to whip up but makes a tasty change from tartar sauce

The third recipe included here is for something that can be a sandwich topping, a side dish, or both: non-creamy coleslaw. Kamikawa's version kind of gives off a fusion vibe since it not only includes green onions, cilantro, and red pepper in addition to cabbage but eschews a mayonnaise base in favor of a rice wine vinaigrette. The coleslaw, together with the aioli, buttered bun, and blackened fish, makes for a far more sophisticated fishwich than anything Long John Silver's (or the Krusty Krab) could ever hope to offer.